MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Liberia Football Association president, Musa Hassan Bility, has decided to step down ahead of the upcoming football elections.

In a press conference at the head office of the Liberian Football Association on Benson Street in Monrovia, the football boss said he has played his part in developing football and it is about time that a different person takes on the responsibilities.

He described his time at the football house as a successful one and he challenged the incoming president to surpass his achievements. Despite still having a term to serve as president of the football body, Bility told reporters it was the right time to say goodbye.

“I think it is about time I leave office as the president of the Liberia Football Association,” he said. “It’s about time that somebody else takes over the football house. I have played my part and hope the new president will do more than what was done under my administration.”

Bility’s time as the head of the Liberia Football Association was dominated by both positive and negative headlines.

The former Watanga FC boss came to office in 2010 after defeating Izetta Wesley who was the incumbent. During his first term in office, Bility led the LFA to sign a US$500,000 deal with Cellcom to sponsor the national leagues. Under Bility’s leadership, clubs did not pay fees to enter the league, as was previously done and cash prizes for the various divisions increased by more than 50 percent.

However, as his first term ended, Bility’s relationship with the governing body of African football, CAF, as he was banned from all football activities on May 2, 2013. The ban, which was instituted because CAF said he “violated statutes relating to the use of confidential documents,” lasted for four months before being lifted in September 2013.

After four years of serving as president, Bility decided to go for his second term in office during the 2014 elections, which he won unopposed. During his second term, he renewed the Cellcom sponsorship, this time for US$650,000.

Bility also began to make more news on the international scene – good and bad. His name made the headlines when he announced his candidacy for the 2017 FIFA election. The Liberian football boss announced he would contest as president of the international football governing body. However, he was denied the opportunity to contest after being excluded by FIFA for failing an integrity test. Despite the disappointment, Bility would go on to win a place on CAF’s executive committee board.

In March 2017, he was elected as an executive committee of Africa’s football body and there were hopes that Liberian football would improve. However, corruption and poor management of the local league and the national team meant Liberian football did not improve much.

According to an article published in Inside World Football, his administration was accused of mismanaging more than US$700,000 that was intended for football development. According to the U.K based online media, the treasurer of the LFA reportedly admitted to sending US$600,000 to Bility’s wife for their Stone Haven guest house and more than US$100,000 to his son Sidiki Bility. The article was published just days after a team of auditors from FIFA had arrived to conduct an audit on the LFA.

The LFA later responded to the article via an official release on their Facebook by admitting that up to US$600,000 had gone missing but said the president was not involved.

“During a closing meeting with the auditors, Mr. Bility discovered documents that have been inserted into the LFA financial records that are not part of any audit report and was not found on any bank statement. Unknown documents were presented to FIFA by unknown persons to the auditors which the LFA is not aware of. The LFA has therefore requested the Liberia National Police to carry out a criminal investigation and is requesting FIFA to investigate the origin of the documents,” LFA’s statement read.

The latter parts of Bility’s tenure as president has seen the local football scene underinvested. The local league, which is the launching ground for most foreign-based Liberian players, has not been prioritized. Some clubs have been forced to use their own balls to play league and FA Cup games. Additionally, teams have often been unable to receive their trophies and medals after winning LFA competitions. Moreover, seven months since it ended, the new league season has yet to start.

Featured photo courtesy of T. Kla Wesley Jr.